Editor Wish Lists for January 2024

The editors at Entangled Publishing are always looking for the next breakout hit. Could that be your book? Each month, we have a new wish list from our editors. Watch for them as they’ll change monthly. Let’s discover each other today! All submissions can be sent through our Submittable system. The link can be found here: https://entangledpublishing.submittable.com/submit

If you’re looking for a specific editor and don’t see their name here, that means they are closed to submissions this month. Check back next month to see if they’ve reopened!

My biggest asks right now are:

• A high-concept, high-angst queer romantasy, preferably f/f
• A nautical fantasy with horror elements
• A historical fantasy with 19th century influences
• A fantasy that employs time travel

More generally, I love all kinds of fantasy—grounded or high concept. I will also consider sci-fi, paranormal, or contemporary if there’s a strong romantic plot. And while I love all sorts of fantasy, I am actively looking for a story that breathes new life into the genre, that feels fresh, whether in setting, style, voice, or character. That could be exploring an underrepresented mythology, inventing a new kind of magic, or discovering a new angle to a familiar trope. I’m interested in something that feels exciting and rejuvenating.

I am actively looking for queer stories by queer authors and am also looking for diverse stories from underrepresented voices, especially in the fantasy space. When it comes to style, I prefer high concept and hooky premises. I connect best with strong, confident voices, richly layered characters, and stories with multi-POVs.

I LOVE romance and am actively looking for stories that feature it prominently, with a big priority on queer romance. My favorite tropes are enemies to lovers and forbidden love. I like my romances to be angsty, and can do any heat level.

I prefer not to see any stories where SA or animal death features prominently.

In YA, I’m interested in contemporary, romance/romcoms, fantasy, and suspense/mystery. In contemporary, I especially love quirky and voice-driven stories. I enjoy both light-hearted stories as well as those that are more on the darker side. In fantasy, whether it’s set in our world or another, I’m a fan of anything from romantic fantasy to fast-paced and plot-driven adventures. I’d love to see something with a big cast of characters. While I adore romance, I’d like to see stories of friendship as well. If you have a book with alternate timelines (think When You Were Everything by Ashley Woodfolk) – send my way!

If these could serve as a comp for your book, I’d love to see it: One of Us is Lying by Karen McManus, The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Revelle by Lyssa Mia Smith, Rubi Ramos’s Recipe for Success by Jessica Parra.

In Adult, I’m open to the same genres but am particularly looking for romcoms (emphasis on the comedy). All levels of heat welcome. When it comes to romance, I prefer a slow burn and may not be a great fit for insta-love. If you can compare it to a ‘90s romcom – I want it! If you can comp your book to The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon, or anything by Helen Hoang or Sophie Kinsella, please send!

In both YA and Adult, I’m drawn to character-driven stories, to immersive worlds and atmospheric settings – where the setting is almost a character itself, and high concept stories.

Some more things I’d love to see in general:

• Banter!
• Enemies to lovers.
• Friends to lovers.
• Ensemble casts.
• Antiheroes/Antiheroines.
• Unlikely allies.
• Friendship / Found family stories.
• Stories set outside the US.

In YA, I’m looking for fun contemporary romance that also touches on serious topics; fantasy with a unique story world that feels new and a magic system with a fresh take; thriller that is more psychological suspense than murder mystery.

I’m always looking for more queer romance and diverse characters/cultures.

I exclusively work on the single-title imprints from YA and up. For me personally, a central romance is required in all but Women’s Fiction.

Overall, I like books that come from the heart. The manuscripts I’ve connected most deeply to were immensely meaningful and very personal for their writers. I believe that if you’re passionate about what you write and have a blast writing it, it yields the best results. I’m always interested in seeing more of that.

Publishers Marketplace has a full list of my announced acquisitions, but here are the latest five for those without access:

YA

A Curse Set in Stone by Erica Hollis (High Fantasy)

Evergreen by Devin Greenlee (Paranormal Romance)

To Kill a Shadow by Katherine Quinn (High Fantasy)

Adult

One Night on Vallejo Street by Fortune Whelan (Women’s Fiction)

One Season with the Duke by Addy Du Lac (Historical Romance)

Currently looking for:

YA crossover/NA

• I only work on speculative—Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, and High Fantasy are welcome, though my focus is on High Fantasy right now. All my acquisitions tend to be more on the darker side.
• In Paranormal, it’s key the paranormal beings include a new take we haven’t seen before.
• I would love to see cursed families and/or stories unpacking generational trauma
• A fresh take on vampires or mermaids
• Nature themes
• Intense, all-encompassing love stories. The more epic and obsessive, the better.
• I enjoy a Gothic-inspired story, though I’m hard to impress when it comes to Historical Fantasy—I prefer second world. If your story is inspired by classics like Wuthering Heights or Rebecca, please show me!
• New spins on mythology and folklore are a perpetual favorite, but authenticity is a must. Particularly interested in Korean, Turkish, anything from East Africa. I’d love to finally find a Greek mythology retelling by a Greek author!

Adult 

      Romance (Contemporary RomCom only)

• STEM-centric books. Astronauts, biologists, physicists, medical doctors, you name it. Generally, professions you don’t see a lot in books are my thing. Would love some women firefighters or carpenters!
• I’m really feeling wedding settings right now, but it’ll need a very unique twist
• Always love a 90s/00s movie retelling
• I’m a big animal lover, and I’d be thrilled to see something set in a shelter or maybe a wildlife rehabilitation center.

      Women’s Fiction

• I’m only considering books with a Thriller element and/or speculative elements. If you can see your book on the big screen and easily fit in with authors like R.F. Kuang, Christina Dalcher, or Nita Prose, I’d love a look. (No serial killers, sexual assault, or pregnancy/motherhood-centric books, please)

To submit, please use Submittable following the submission guidelines and ATTN to me. I’m exclusively looking for high-concept stories, so please include your high concept in the query. Also attach a full plot synopsis. Trigger warnings are always very, very appreciated!